Improvement in track-clearers



G. ROYAL. Track-Clearer No. 204,092. Patented May 21, 1878.

Wi tn E5555- NPETERS. PNOTO UTHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

' tion.

PATENT OFFICE. V

GEORGERO'YAL, on TRUGK'EE, CALIFORNIA.

IMPRQVXEMEWNT"IN'TRACK-CLEARERS.

- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,092, dated May21, 1878; application'filed 1 1L1 Aprnams;

To all whom it may concern: J T 1 Be it known that I, GEORGE ROYAL, ofTruckee, in the county of Nevada and State of California, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Devices'for'Gleaning Switches,Frogs, Guard-Rails, and Railroad- Orossings; and I do hereby declare thefollowin g to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for cleaning switches,frogs, guardrails, and railroad-crossings; and it consists in thearrangement and combination of parts that will be more fully describedhereinafter, whereby all the snow, ice, frozen dirt, and otherobstructions may be cleaned from the frogs, guard-rails, and switches ofa railroad, and thus prevent the cars from being thrown ofi" the trackor in anywise injured.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my inven- Fig. 2 is a verticalcross-section. Fig. 3 is a Vertical section of the sleeve. Fig. 4 is aninverted view of the operating-lever and its connections. Fig. 5 is adetail of the sleeve and connecting-rod.

a represents the frame of an engine b, the driving-wheels; c, thetruck-frame, and d, the truck-wheels, all of which parts may beconstructed and arranged in the usual manner.

Secured to the under side of the frame, between the driving and reartruck wheels, are, the two inclined braces or supports 0, which arerigidly connected together, so as to be as strong and durable aspossible. Pivoted to the under side of the frame a, just in front of thefront ends of these two braces, are the hangers 9, upon the front sidesof which are pivoted the sleeves h. Passing up through these sleeves arethe shanks of the cutters t, which cutters are made V-shaped, so thatthey will adapt themselves to their proper positions in between theguard-rails, frogs, or switches. Around these shanks in the sleeves areplaced coil-springs, which are sufficiently strong to keep the cuttersin their proper positions, but which will allow the cutters to rise overany obstruction which they are not sufficient to remove. By thus givingthese cutters-a vertical play, so asto ride over an obstruction and thenspring back in position againfthey 'will 'be prevented from being brokenor injured, or from "impeding the mo-' tion of the train or engineshouldthey strike an obstruction which cannot .be removed by ordinary means.

The two sleeves h are connected together near their lower ends by meansof the rod j, which is pivoted at each end, and as the sleeves arepivoted both at their upper and lower ends they can readily adjustthemselves to curves in the track or to the insides of the rails, underany and all circumstances without the slightest danger of breaking orinjuring the cutters.

Pivoted to the center of the connecting-rod j is the rod 1, whichextends forward, has the axle w of the rear truck-wheels pass through itnear its center, and hasdts front end loosely fastened to the loop :0.The axle w serves as a fulcrum, upon which the rod lhas a slightmovement, and in order to prevent any lateral movement, a collar or stopis secured to the axle on each side of the rod, to hold it in position.'As the front end of the rod has a slight lateral movement upon itheloop as, the truck, in moving around a curve, will not move the cutterstoo far toward the opposite side. By means of this arrangement of partsthe motion of the truck, whether upon a straight track or upon theheaviest curve, will guide the cutter so asto enter guard-rails,frogs,

switches, and railroad-crossings without the slightest danger of evermoving them too far sidewise. By thus connecting the cutters to thetruck all danger of the cutters not entering the space in the frogs orbetween the guard-rails is entirely done away with.

Connected to the upper ends of the shanks of the cutters are the rods n,which rods have their upper ends fastened to the rocking shaft 0, fromwhich extends the lever 10 up to within easy reach of the one who is toraise and lower the cutters. When there is no necessity for thesecutters they can be raised high above the track and then loweredwhenever needed.

Although my invention is here shown as being used in connection with alocomotive, it is evident that it may be attached to the under side oftrucks and cars of different kinds, and may be used for removing snowand ice from the inside of the rails for the entire length ofstreet-railways, as well as being useduponrailroads. Thesecuttersmaybelowered and kept in action as long as the engine or car is going in onedirection; but as soon as the motion is reversed they are to be raisedabove the rails, so as to be out of the way.

Although the motion which guides the cutters is obtained by means of arod connecting with axle and center of truck, as here shown, still itcan be arranged in difl'erentways by connecting the wheel or truck axleseither back or in fi'ont of the wheels, or by having two horizontal rodsattached to each hanger at or near its middle, and then have the rodsrun one on each side of the wheels.

Instead of the hangers being pivoted, a special frame may be provided,so as to allow both the hangers and the cutters to slide in frameinstead of working on pivots.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- I -1. The combination ofthe cutters 6, connected together by a pivoted cross-bar, j, with therigid rod L, which has its front end fast ened to the middle ofthetruck-frame, its center being pivoted to the axle and its rear endfastened to the cross-bar, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the hangers g, sleeves connected together acrossthe track by a pivoted cross-bar, j, cutters i, and rod 1, the sleevesbeing pivoted at their upper ends to the hangers g, so that the cutters1; are allowed a lateral motion, substantially as shown.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this21st day of March, 1878.

GEORGE ROYAL;

Witnesses H. W. ROBERTS, A. 0. 00mm.

